Chapter 23: Heart of Lava

Chapter 23: Heart of Magma

Seeing such a scene unfold, Qin Zhe was completely stunned. The combat prowess of his "True Self" was so heaven-defying that it was beyond anything he could have imagined. In a daze, he instinctively delved into his consciousness to explore. Because he and his True Self shared the same spirit, he knew the punch just now was not simple, and the giant made of magma was certainly not a mere hollow shell.

As he probed, Qin Zhe quickly discovered that the "Counter-Shock" talent, which he hadn't had the chance to activate in his status bar, was already in an active state. Did his True Self have the ability to autonomously trigger talents from his status bar just like he did? Qin Zhe was surprised, but upon reflection, he felt relieved. After all, the True Self was a sleeping part of his own subconscious, one that only truly awakened through the potential unleashed by the Blood-Burning True Self Art. The True Self was not a separate entity; it was him.

Recalling the moment the True Self struck, Qin Zhe realized that it had not only concentrated all its power into a single point but had also used that method to control the Counter-Shock talent. The True Self had absorbed the massive force of the giant’s magma foot, then funneled it through its own concentrated energy to sustain the Counter-Shock, breaking through the defense at a single point and resolving the crisis in one blow!

This discovery brought a surge of joy to Qin Zhe. So, the Counter-Shock talent wasn't uncontrollable; it just required technique! Since his consciousness was synchronized with the True Self’s perceptions and his body held the relevant muscle memory, he felt he could easily master the technique himself.

Just as he was reveling in the surprise, his fingertips suddenly brushed against something soft. The texture was exquisite, feeling like... Oh, wait! The Department Head!

Qin Zhe’s consciousness nearly shattered. Ignoring further research, he decisively synchronized back with his True Self. As his consciousness returned to the surface and he saw what was happening before him, he breathed a sigh of relief. The True Self was indeed standing before the unconscious Liu Qingzhi, but it wasn't groping around; it was merely stroking her delicate cheek as if she were a precious treasure.

Thank goodness, the True Self wasn't acting out! Otherwise, it would have been a disaster. Qin Zhe felt a secret sense of relief, but then he felt something was off. The True Self was his own subconscious. Since it treated Liu Qingzhi with such tenderness and restraint, did that mean he secretly harbored feelings for the Department Head?

Before Qin Zhe could let his mind wander, the True Self stood up and leaped out of the crater. Through the synchronized senses, Qin Zhe saw a giant whose entire lower half had almost completely disintegrated. Compared to the one he had encountered earlier, this giant was significantly smaller; it must have been the other one hiding in the volcano that had attacked him and Liu Qingzhi.

The giant wasn't dead despite its lower body being shattered; it lay on the ground, roaring silently, repeatedly using its arms to try and heave its massive torso up. Was this thing not a living organism?

Qin Zhe examined the giant’s shattered body and found that it was composed entirely of magma, with no organ-like tissues inside. Following the True Self’s movements, his perspective shifted to the giant’s chest. Under Qin Zhe’s puzzled gaze, the True Self knelt before a magma-filled crack in the giant's chest and reached inside. The boiling magma coating its arm caused little pain to the True Self. Qin Zhe felt no pain either, but he was curious about what it was doing.

Soon, his hand touched something hard. The True Self gripped the object firmly, blood surging through its body as it channeled all its strength into a single pull. With a crisp "crack," a fiery red crystal was pulled out. The crystal was about two palm-lengths long, relatively slender, and radiated a terrifying heat. Holding it, Qin Zhe could faintly smell the scent of his own palm being scorched. Given the durability of his body, combined with the awakening of his True Self, for the crystal to burn his hand to the point of smelling it, it was certainly no ordinary object!

As Qin Zhe was thinking this, the True Self picked up the crystal, examined it for a moment, and popped it into its mouth with a "crunch." Qin Zhe was dumbfounded. Not like this, brother! Do you even know what that is? That definitely doesn't look like something meant to be eaten!

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Qin Zhe regained control of his body—the three-minute time limit had expired. He spat out the crystal shards in his mouth and smacked his lips, only to see the giant lying on the ground go still as its body began to disintegrate. So, the crystal was the giant’s core? It was likely a valuable treasure!

Qin Zhe quickly grasped the role of the crystal within the giant and played with it in his hand, feeling quite pleased. Compared to the True Self’s embarrassing performance in the library earlier, this time it had performed a monumental service—not only teaching him the technique for the Counter-Shock talent but also killing the giant instantly! It seemed it would be beneficial to let it out for a spin occasionally in the future.

Qin Zhe made a silent decision and turned toward the nearby crater. The Department Head was still unconscious inside; he needed to find a relatively safe place to settle her. If another giant popped out, he wasn't sure he could handle it! Although the side effects of the Blood-Burning True Self Art didn't affect him, once the True Self was awakened, it would take some time before he could use it again.

Just as he took a few steps, a prompt popped up in his status bar.
[Notification: Successfully refined Heart of Magma powder, Essence Conversion completed. Potential +1.]

The notification came so abruptly that Qin Zhe, still walking on the giant's body, tripped and nearly fell. Barely managing to steady himself, he focused his mind to check the status bar.

Race: Human (Atavism 20%)
Talents: Counter-Shock, Essence Conversion (0%)
Potential Points: 1
Divine Sense: 0
Spirit Energy: 0
Realm: Martial Arts Novice
Supernatural Ability: Blood-Burning True Self Art

Seeing the single point of potential displayed in his status bar, Qin Zhe looked at the crystal again with a mix of surprise and doubt. "Heart of Magma powder?" Could it be the part the True Self had bitten off and swallowed earlier? Just a tiny bit of powder had converted 1 point of potential from his previously 1% Essence Conversion?

Licking his dry lips, Qin Zhe hesitantly put the crystal into his own mouth. With a "clack," he was moved to tears. Having the same set of teeth but lacking the True Self’s immense strength, one bite not only failed to break it but also chipped his tooth! Looking back, he saw that the spot on the giant's chest where he had spat out the powder had already completely collapsed.

Damn! Qin Zhe looked up at the sky, where a bright moon hung. Well, there was no sun in the Cold Moon Secret Realm...

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Qin Zhe took out the storage bag he had obtained from Zhou Wentong, hesitating. The Heart of Magma was extremely hot; storage was an issue. Would it burn a hole through the bag? After much deliberation, Qin Zhe finally sighed and gave up the idea. The giant beneath him was finished, but its body still retained its original form; he couldn't move Liu Qingzhi too far in such a short time, and she would surely see it once she woke up. He would need a reasonable excuse to brush it off, so he probably couldn't keep the Heart of Magma.

There was more than one giant in the secret realm; once news spread, the Academy would certainly take it seriously, and discovering the Heart of Magma would only be a matter of time. Qin Zhe was not someone who only looked at the present; he knew what he had to do to survive in this world. Converting potential only required spiritual objects; it wasn't worth taking risks for a single Heart of Magma.